Move aside “Breaking Bad,” “The Sopranos” and “The Simpsons” because there’s a new top dog in the house and it goes by the name of “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.” The new brain child of comedy legend Tina Fey has swallowed up the Netflix bingeing population and spat them out new and invigorated. The 13-episode first season, which had its Netflix debut on March 6, has met critical acclaim because of its good writing, edgy content and talented actors.
Ellie Kemper, who you may know from her older projects like “The Office” and “Bridesmaids,” plays leading lady Kimmy Schmidt and is absolutely dazzling. Her high energy and ability to be both comedic and serious make her one of the most memorable and driving forces of the show. Broadway actor Tituss Burgess plays Kimmy’s gay roommate who aspires to be an actor one day. The impeccable Jane Krakowski takes on the role of Lillian Kaushtupper, Kimmy’s wealthy, but clueless employer.
Essentially, “Unbreakable,” is about a young woman who has nearly lived her entire life trapped in an underground bunker because she was kidnapped by a cult leader. The first episode, “Kimmy Goes Outside!” is about Kimmy and the other trapped women (referred to as Mole Women because they lived their entire lives underground) being released from their prison by a SWOT team. They are met with unexpected and unwanted fame and the harsh realities of living above ground. Kimmy decides to start a new life in New York City and rents a room.
The rest of the series is about Kimmy facing new challenges, like fashion and boys, with impenetrable optimism and naivety. In every episode, she learns a new lesson both about the world and herself.
When I first heard about this show, I honestly thought it would be a little”” stupid. It’s about a peppy redhead taking on life and never letting harsh words bring her down. My ironic pessimism kept me from making any sort of accurate pre-assessment of the show. In reality, it is probably one of the wittiest Netflix originals to grace my computer screen. Like every other person I have talked to in the past few weeks, I watched the entire series in roughly 48 hours.
Nobody knows how to write content that is both ridiculous and intelligent like Tina Fey. While the humor is occassionally silly and slapstick, the underlying messages are sincere and evolutionary. The line “Females are strong as hell,” which is chanted in the opening every episode feels empowering””even in the satirical context.
It definitely says something about how we view women in media that I, along with many other potential viewers, felt so turned off because there was potential for a female lead who was was so unironically nice. She was interesting without being cynical or ingenuine. She also managed to be interested in sexual encounters without falling into a “slutty” image.
I can’t necessarily compare this Netflix original to its counterparts “House of Cards” or “Orange is the New Black,” which are acclaimed for their stances on social and political issues. I also can’t say that it will go down in infamy for being the greatest comedy of our generation. However, it will definitely continue to be entertaining and will maintain a heavy following. We can only wait to spend another 48 hours with Kimmy next year.
